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02-14-2007, 03:36 AM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 140
M.O.C. #3701
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How Much Hydraulic Fluid?
I have a very small leak in my slide-out hydraulic system. There hasn't been a problem getting the slides in/out; just a little fluid under the pump.
My question is: how much fluid should be in the reservoir? It's about 60% full with slides out. Is this close? Also, I have heard to use Transmission fluid with decron/mercron. This is a pink fluid. Is this correct also?
bob
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02-14-2007, 04:05 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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With the slides out in our 3400 the level is at that ridge that goes around the reservoir about 1/2 down from the top.. When we blew our hydraulic line the slides worked OK with very little fluid in the reservoir//you can use any kind of xmittion fluid, pink or otherwise. Or as ontmont says 1 inch from the top when closed..we have both levels marked as you can have a leak in places where you can not see it..
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02-14-2007, 04:27 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Haldimand County
Posts: 2,413
M.O.C. #122
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...or about 1" below the top with the slides in.
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02-14-2007, 11:16 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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Dale (MIMF), who used to work at Lippert (who made the pump and slide mechanisms) says to use the cheapest ATF you can find. Never mind whether it is mercon or whatever. The cheapest is fine. If you go do a member search (the search link at the top of this page) on MIMF2, you can click on his name and in his profile will be a link to email him. Or he may see this thread the next time he's on the forum. He's a very knowledgeable and helpful guy.
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02-14-2007, 11:44 AM
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#5
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Montana Fan
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 140
M.O.C. #3701
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Thank ya'll.
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02-14-2007, 10:19 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Goshen
Posts: 1,058
M.O.C. #2827
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bigbob7777,
That's right.
Go on down to your local car parts store, or better yet, to Wally-World. Look for the cheapest ATF you can find. If it says "Dexron/Dexron III/Mercon/Mercon 5, it will work just fine.
With you slide rooms retracted, fill the reservoir to about 1" to 1/2 " from the fill cap. Don't pay any attention to the difference in color between the fluid that is already in the reservoir and what you are pouring in. ATF is red because of the dye that is added.
One of the things I have suggested many times is something Rich brought up. With the rooms in, use a black permanent ink marker and draw a line on the outside of the tank where the fluid level is at. This will show you where the fluid level needs to be when the rooms are in. Next, extend the rooms. Use the black marker to draw a line where the fluid level is suppose to be when the rooms are extended. You now have a gage that will inform you if you do have a leak somewhere in the system. Because, if you notice the fluid level lower than either one of those black lines, knowing which position the slide rooms are at, open or closed, you may want to start looking around for a leak. The very first place I would look would be under the bed upstairs. That will be the easiest place to spot a fluid leak.
As for the rest of the coach, have patience. Because of the under-belly, you eventually will find the area where it may be leaking.
Have a great day!
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02-15-2007, 03:58 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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For checking under the bed -- it's not as daunting as it appears. If your model has the safe under the bed, remove the four screws inside the safe and pull it out. There then are just two screws holding in the plywood floor. One screw on each side. Remove the plywood and you'll immediately see the hydraulic mechanism.
As an fyi, after seeing what Ozz did with that space under the plywood, I cut our plywood in half, put a cabinet handle on each half, then replaced the plywood, without the screws. We have things (mostly off-season clothes) stored under that plywood (as well as on top of the plywood) now and access to it is pretty easy. Just be careful about storing anything outside the slide mechanisms that might get caught as the bed frame moves. Otherwise, nothing in there moves and the space is easily usable for storage.
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